The majority of people use a smartphone these days, with 100 million people starting to use them in the past year alone. Smartphones these days essentially provide us with constant access to a high-quality recording device that fits into our pockets. They can record videos and live streams in impressive HD quality without people needing tons of equipment or a specific setup, saving people money and time.
While it may be easy for people to pick up their phone and go live, it’s still important to make sure your live streams are professional and represent your brand in the right way. Zidivo is here to run you through live streaming on mobile in terms of how to get it right and achieve the desired results.
Live streaming on mobile has not only been made more accessible by the advances in smartphone technology but by the volume and variety of live-streaming apps too.
Lighting can make or break a video. If you are broadcasting while on the go it can be tricky to control, but if you are aiming for professional setup and feel to your video, you should make sure to use the three-point lighting rule. Essentially, this involves having three lighting points, with one lighting up your background to add depth and one making sure to avoid shadows falling on your face.
Of course, mobile live streaming tends to be more informal, so it can be trickier to control your lighting. Natural light, however, can be utilised just as effectively. Position yourself near to a window in the daylight benefit from this without having to invest in professional light sources.
Next, think about your audio. If you are using your phone’s built-in microphone, make sure to set your phone up or hold it as close to your face as you can to ensure your voice audio is crisp and to eliminate any background noise.
A poor or unreliable internet connection will quite frankly ruin your live streams. No one wants to watch a video that is slow to load or buffers, so its important to do plenty of testing to ensure your internet connection is powerful enough and fast enough to support your video beforehand. Don’t go live to a large audience without checking that your internet has more than enough bandwidth to support this.
While the battery life of smartphones is getting longer all the time, live streaming can use a lot more power than some of your phones other functions. Before live streaming on mobile, make sure your phone is fully charged or that it’s connected to a power source if you plan to live for a long period.
Last but not least, another thing to consider with live streaming on mobile is your other phone alerts and notifications. You don’t want to have to worry about any alarms or notifications coming through while you’re streaming as this can end up causing your broadcast to end or making you appear unprofessional to your audience. To avoid this, turn your phone onto ‘do not disturb’ and mute all notifications before every live stream.
The overarching benefit of live streaming on mobile is that you don’t require a team of video professionals or a high-value setup to achieve results or generate an audience. You can go live from anywhere with a reliable internet connection, providing individuals and brands with a huge amount of creative freedom and the ability to offer dynamic, fun and engaging live streams that don’t require a formal environment or feel.
This one might go without saying, but every man and his dog has a smartphone these days. On top of this, most social channels and live streaming platforms allow you to go live while on the go, making mobile live streaming ideal for those on a budget who don’t have the funds to invest in expensive or professional equipment.
Although it can be more difficult to achieve a high-quality and professional live stream on a mobile device, this can work in your favour. Depending on your video content, dynamic mobile live streams can actually generate increased engagement due to the informal and less rehearsed feel they can provide for your audience.
The main issue that people face with mobile live streaming is establishing a strong enough internet connection. Live streaming on a dedicated camera with a professional setup allows you to use wired ethernet connections, whereas mobile live streams often require mobile data or WiFi connections that are far less reliable. Before going live on mobile, make sure your internet is powerful and fast enough to support the size and length of your video.
While smartphone cameras have come a long way in the past decade, they are still limited to the video quality they can provide. Some incredible smartphones are on the market now though, such as the iPhone 11 Pro, Google Pixel 3 and Galaxy S10 that can allow you to record video in up to 4K HD at 1080p.
The Zidivo platform allows you to go live from any recording device, whether you use a software or hardware encoder to convert your video into streamable content. You will be provided with a simple embed code to go live on any and as many webpages as required with minimal hassle. You can try the Zidivo platform for free for 30 days to see if it works for you!
Every year Streaming Media holds conferences sharing the state of the industry, forecasts, and in-depth training. In the fall, they usually meet in California so they can soak up some sun while mingling with other people in the industry. This year is not like others though, and like everyone else they needed to make other plans. We attended some of the live-streamed sessions - keep reading to see what lessons we took away with us.
Whether you’re looking for a camera that allows for crisp and professional-looking streams, or you prefer a camera that allows you to film whilst out-and-about - there are plenty of great options out there. We’re here to reveal our favourite video cameras for live streaming, though of course, the camera that’s right for you will depend on your budget, requirements, and personal preferences.
